I dont think it is uniquely difficult compared to any other programming language. If anyone reading this has given up multiple times trying to learn lisp i encourage to keep trying. Its not really that different than python or javascript (Here me out). At first i genuinely couldnt understand it at all despite being well versed in tons of other languages, but after a few weeks, one day my brain suddenly could read it as if it was c++ or python. It was an instantanious switch.
There is a sort of shape translation, like an affine transformation between lisp code and algol family stuff like c, etc. Once your brain sees the shapes of the paragraphs, and the function and class def shapes, you will not feel lisp is really different from the other languages except in form. ( excluding the macros. those are truly unique)
> like an affine transformation between lisp code and algol family stuff like c
I wonder how far one might go introducing common lisp with parallel examples in javascript and python -- something like a Rosetta Stone approach, also likening ')' and '}' and <dedent>.
Very far. actually thats probably a really good way to do it.
lisp for python devs,
amd its just basic python shit on the left page, and the clisp version on the right page.
We do the same thing for human language books. Ive got a copy of the little prince where the left is in english and the right is in japanese. the bookstore is full of these.
There is a sort of shape translation, like an affine transformation between lisp code and algol family stuff like c, etc. Once your brain sees the shapes of the paragraphs, and the function and class def shapes, you will not feel lisp is really different from the other languages except in form. ( excluding the macros. those are truly unique)